Monday, December 27, 1999

Santa, diners have dinner at Civic Center

By JON FULBRIGHTStaff WriterPECOS, Dec. 27, 1999 -- Thanksgiving at the Reeves County Civic Center
was busy, but Christmas was even busier for volunteers with the Pecos Christian
Home's annual holiday dinner.

"We fed about 350 people, and we fed 305 at Thanksgiving, so we were
a lot busier this time, said Bruce Dury, Director of the Christian Home.
That total is up by about 40 from last Christmas, and includes dinners
delivered to people enrolled in the Meals on Wheels program.

"We also had some little bags of goodies and some gifts for the kids
who were there. We had 58 kids show up," Dury said.

Santa stayed around with the kids until about 1 p.m., and most of the
Christmas dinners were served by about that time. Dury said volunteers
delivered dinners to a little under 110 people, with the remainder either
picking up their food at the Civic Center to take home, or eating at the
Civic Center.

Thanksgiving also saw an increase in the number of people taking advantage
of the Christian Home's holiday dinner, and while Dury said that might
indicate an increase in people in need of food at the holidays, that wasn't
necessarily the case.

"We may be getting a little more popular because we've been here for
a while now," Dury said. The dinners were held at the Pecos Community Center
for several years before being moved out to the larger Civic Center facility.
"Once you stabilize things at a certain place and at a certain time each
year, people know you're going to be there, and that helps.

"There may be more needy people, but it may be because more people just
wanted to get in on a good thing," he added. "A lot of people just don't
want to cook. There were some elderly people who you could tell were pretty
well-to-do, and they just walked in sat down and had a meal, which is fine,
because we don't restrict it to anyone."

A number of items that were left over from the Thanksgiving dinner were
used on Saturday, and Dury said donations filled the needs for some other
items, including pies.

"Like everything else, it showed up at the last moment, but we had more
than enough pies," he said.

Fight before Christmas sends three to hospital

By ROSIE FLORESStaff WriterPECOS, Dec. 27, 1999 -- Three people were taken to Reeves County Hospital
following an altercation that happened on Christmas Eve on the east side
of Pecos, and the Friday incident continues to be investigated by local
law enforcement officials.

A report was called in to the Reeves County Sheriff's office at about
11:03 p.m., and officers responded to the scene in the 1200 block of Ash
Street, where a fight was in progress.

The incident is still under investigation, according to sheriff's deputy's
report.

"There's a lot that needs to be sorted out and we are still investigating
this incident," said chief deputy Victor Prieto. "There were a lot of conflicting
stories."

No arrests have been made, according to Prieto.

Candidate hopefuls have week left to file

PECOS, Dec. 27, 1999 -- New candidate filings took a bit of a break for
the Christmas holiday, and anyone wanting to run in the March 14 primary
elections has only eight days left to get their name on the ballot.

Reeves County Clerk Dianne Florez said today that Clinton M Glenn has
filed his treasurer's designation to run for Constable in Precinct 2. He
designated Linda F. Glenn as his treasurer, Florez said.

Candidates must file both a treasurer's designation and either a filing
petition or a filing fee to run in the Democratic or Republican primaries.
. If you are interested in running for local office as a Democrat or in
becoming a precinct chair contact Bobby Dean at 915-445-3071 or 915-528-7447,
for the forms necessary to have your name placed on the ballot.

Candidates seeking spots on the Republican Party ballot should contact
Republican Party Chairman is Lou Lewis, who can be contacted at Desert
Distributors, 2323 Oliver St., or call 447-9078.

Filing deadline for both the Republican and Democratic primary elections
is Jan 3.

TxDOT says to watch traffic lights on Y2K

PECOS, Dec. 27, 1999 -- Motorists are being urged to use caution as they
travel after the first of the year, especially at controlled intersections.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) does not expect Y2K problems
with traffic signals, but says motorists should always be careful when
entering an intersection.

"We have been working since early 1998 upgrading and testing equipment
on the nearly 6,800 traffic signals on the state highway system," said
Carlos Lopez, director of traffic operations for TxDOT. "If power is available,
our traffic signals should handle the Jan. 1 date change without a problem.
If the power goes out, motorists will need to use caution and watch out
for other drivers."

Motorists should take extra care at an intersection with a traffic signal
that is not working and they should be prepared to give other drivers the
right of way if necessary, according to TxDOT.

"Right of way is something to be given, not taken," said Lopez. "Courtesy
is the key to safe driving," he said.

Crashes can be prevented if motorists play it safe, according to TxDOT
officials. Driving at a speed appropriate for the conditions, using seat
belts properly and never drinking and driving are some of the safe driving
practices they say motorists should always follow.

"Holiday periods, like New Year's Day, are often a time to celebrate,
but they should never be an excuse to get behind the wheel of a care after
you have been drinking," said Lopez.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, nearly 30 percent
of all traffic fatalities in Texas last year were alcohol related.

In addition to checking and upgrading signal lights on state highways,
TxDOT has also been serving as a resource on traffic signal issues for
cities and counties across the state.

GTE is in search of the people who reportedly stole telephone cable
line worth over $18,000 last month on the northwest side of town.

Crimestoppers

Pecos Valley Crime Stoppers will pay up to a $1,000 cash reward
for information that leads in the arrest of individual or individuals responsible
for the theft that occurred on Nov. 15.

At about 9:15 a.m. a GTE employee advised the Reeves County Sheriff's
Department that sometime during the early morning hours someone (or several
individuals) had stolen approximately 310 feet of "telephone cable line."
The cable line was located two miles north on Duval Road and it had been
laid approximately 15 yards from the roadway on top of the ground. The
cable line had been cut and removed. Tire tracks were found and photographed
at the scene. The value of the stolen phone line cable was placed at $18,600.

The theft of this cable caused an interruption of phone service for
several residents on Duval Road.

Anyone with information on the individual or individuals who might
be attempting to sell a large amount of copper, which may have possibly
been removed from the stolen phone line cable, or if anyone knows who might
have taken the cable contact Pecos Valley Crime Stoppers at 445-9898 and
you will remain anonymous.

Police Report

EDITOR'S NOTE:Information contained in the Police Report is
obtained from reports filed by the Pecos Police Department, Reeves County
Sheriff's Office, or other officers of those agencies.

The serving of warrants by an officer for outstanding fines of either
traffic citations, animal control violations or other court costs are considered
arrests and will be printed as such unless indicated that the fines were
paid. In such instances we will indicate payment and release.

***

Saul C. Saucedo, 21, was arrested at 1:10 a.m., on December 11, at Reeves
County Civic Center, for public intoxication/resisting arrest.

***

Ventura Mendoza, 43, and Evelyn S. Prieto, 18, were arrested at 1:15
a.m., on December 11, at Reeves County Civic Center. Mendoza was charged
with public intoxication; Prieto with disorderly conduct/resisting arrest.

***

Walter Raymond Waight, 21, was arrested at 4:42 p.m., on December 11,
on Highway 17, on a Capias Pro Fine warrant.

***

George Lopez Hidalgo, 28, was arrested at 2:51 a.m., on December 12,
in the 2000 block of Hackberry Street, for driving while intoxicated.

***

Anthony R. Wilson, 27, was arrested at 6:20 p.m., on December 13, on
a local warrant.

***

A male juvenile was arrested at 12:53 a.m., on December 14, in the 1700
block of Alamo Street, on a curfew violation.

***

Hal Pratt, 58, was arrested at 2:51 p.m., on December 15, in the 1000
block of South Cedar Street, for public intoxication and a violation of
a city ordinance (4-9).

***

Matthew Millan, 18, was arrested at 7:32 p.m., on December 15, in the
100 block of Western Avenue, on three warrants (evading arrest, engaging
in criminal activity, and theft).

***

Nelson Lee McGrew, 36, was arrested at 11:25 p.m., on December 15, in
the 100 block of West 13th Street, for assault under the Family Violence
Act.

***

Rolando Raul Hernandez, 23, was arrested at 3:08 p.m., on December 16,
at the Adult Probation Office, on a motion to revoke probation.

***

George Brainard, 49, was arrested at 3:54 p.m., on December 16, in the
1000 block of South Eddy Street, for public intoxication.

***

Jerry Ochoa, 29, was arrested at 2:03 a.m., on December 17, at the corner
of Ninth and Cedar streets, for driving while intoxicated.

***

Irma Jimenez, 33, was arrested at 10:20 p.m., on December 17, at La
Offecina Club, for public intoxication.

***

Patricia Tapia, 36, was arrested at 1:07 a.m., on December 19, in the
600 block of Mulberry Street, for evading arrest.

***

Braulio Esquivel, 36, was arrested at 1:21 p.m., on December 19, in
the 200 block of Bois D' Arc Street, for assault under the Family Violence
Act under Class `C'.

***

Danny L. Hernandez, 37, was arrested at 11:03 p.m., on December 19,
at the corner of Highway 17 and Palmer Street, for driving while intoxicated/breathalizer
test refusal.

***

Hilbert Martinez, 21, was arrested at 4:13 p.m., on December 20, in
the 1900 block of Washington Street, for assault under the Family Violence
Act under Class `C'.

***

Herbey Armendariz, 47, was arrested at 10:24 p.m., on December 20, near
the Uncle's on Cedar Street, for theft under $50.

***

Jose Alberto Barreno Jr., 17, turned himself in at 8:46 p.m., on December
21, at the Pecos Police Department, on a warrant for deadly conduct.

***

Nicolas P. Hernandez, 34, was arrested at 9:35 p.m., on December 21,
in the 1300 block of East Fourth Street, for public intoxication and resisting
arrest.

***

James Macias, 39, was arrested at 11:36 p.m., on December 21, in the
1600 block of East Second Street, for aggravated assault with a deadly
weapon under the Family Violence Act.

Obituary

Bill Hargrove

Services were held at 2 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 26, at Calvary Baptist Church
with Rev. Ron Garcia officiating. Burial was in Evergreen Cemetery.

He was born March 31, 1922, in Barlett, was a retired plant operator
for Enron, a lifelong Pecos resident, a veteran who served in the Air Force
in World War II, and a Baptist.

Survivors include his wife, Jean Hargrove of Pecos; two sons, William
E. Hargrove of Atlanta, Ga. and Ronnie Hargrove of Seymour; three sisters,
Betty Lambert of Batesville, Ark., Marie Naiser of Tomball, and Sue Roddy
of El Campo, and two grandchildren.